Employees start to take charge of own training

Training is highly-prized by employees with three-quarters putting it on a par with the right salary, health insurance and a shorter working week, a report published yesterday found.

More than nine out of 10 people see it as the key to improving their career prospects. They are increasingly taking the lead for their own development, rather than leaving it to their employers, with three-quarters of respondents creating their own personal development plans.

“It is interesting to see how many individuals are taking responsibility for planning their own training,” said David Wimpress, executive chairman of on-line training company KnowledgePool, which commissioned the research.

The study, carried out among 200 companies in manufacturing, retail and finance, also found training is valued by employers.

“It seems that the old fear for companies that if you train them you lose them, is a thing of the past,” said Wimpress.

But one in six companies do not provide training to senior managers and 55 per cent provide it rarely. One in five employers resents the commitment considering it a “necessary evil”.